ROLLER COASTER RIDE
Last week, it was coach Tim Cone.
This time, it was coach Norman Black.
For the second straight game, Manny Pacquiao and Kia gave a Grand Slam coach a big scare after the Sorento almost got their second victory at the expense of Meralco.
Black admitted that he really did feel the pressure of losing against Pacquiao during that game.
“When they took the lead in the fourth quarter, at that point, it was a possibility that we could lose the game,” he said, as Kia took an 81-78 lead with less than nine minutes left on the clock.
But Meralco would rally and keep its composure up to the end game, and the Bolts escaped with the win to complete the quarterfinals cast.
Black said, “They responded well, they regained control of the game, but it still was a struggle down the stretch.”
Meralco should have never been in that position, since they already led by as much as 22 early in the third. But Kia rallied and kept the game close up until the final buzzer.
“It was a story of two halves. First half, we played very, very well. And in the second half, we forgot how to play,” Black said.
The multititled coach doesn’t want to dwell on what has already happened and he’s just happy they got the win, pulling the Bolts up to 5-5 in the team standings.
“At this point, our season has been a roller coaster ride, to say the least, not just as far as game-to-game, but also in-game. At this point, I’ll take the win and run with it and be happy with it,” Black said. (RL)
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